ADVERSITY & DIPLOMACY

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 104, 30 October 1923, Page 4

ADVERSITY & DIPLOMACY

. With a manliness that mdkes a strong appeal to all virile nations, the Japanese have risen superior to the awful calamity that overtook them in the recent earthquake. Through their adversity they hare come forth as a truly heroic people, and one ready to acknowledge their gratitude to the nations who came to .their aid in their hour of trial. The fact that the earthquake accomplished what diplomacy failed to do—viz., a better understanding between Japan and the United States—is readily acknowledged by Marquis Yamamoto. Inoidentally, he shows that sterling quality of the Japanese, expressed in their own untranslatable word " bushido," of relying principally upon themselves for repairing the widespread damage caused by earthquake and fire. This attitude will also strongly commend itself to self-valiant nation^ jealous of working out their destinies in their own way. If it result? in command* ing respect for a proven brave, proud, y«t sensitive people it

should do much good. It may even ensure for the Japanese a fairer tone than is ordinarily adopted by some of their Occidental critics who write and speak without firsthand knowledge of them.